The Justin Langer era is over. What is facing Australian cricket's next generation?

The Justin Langer era for Australia's men's cricket team is over, but we will not have to wait long to find out what the future looks like for the side.

The schedule over the coming weeks and months is intense, with some unique challenges facing the players and interim coach Andrew McDonald. 

Justin Langer helped lead Australian cricket out of crisis and into a new generation — one that must now go on without him.

Given Langer's reign ended with significant on-field success amid off-field acrimony, there will be pressure on the group to at least match the positive results immediately.

Here's what is coming next.

First up, the Aussie T20 team has a hectic run of five games in 10 days against Sri Lanka, starting on Thursday.

That gives Australia less than a week to recover from the loss of their head coach and prepare for games.

Langer led Australia to victory at the T20 World Cup in November, so there is expectation the team will pick up where they left off.

Australia has named an experienced squad for the series, with Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood included.

For the first time in 24 years, an Australian Test team is preparing for a tour of Pakistan.

The three-match Test series begins on March 4 and will be followed by a series of ODIs later in the month and into April.

The sense of unknown is also heightened by the fact this is the first overseas Test series Australia has played since the 2019 Ashes, with COVID keeping the side at home for the best part of three years.

What's more, Australia's men's team hasn't won a single Test series away from home since they beat New Zealand in 2016, two years before Langer took over.

It's going to be an emotional series for the home side, and an